A comparison of the variability of biological nutrients against depth and potential density.

The main biogeochemical nutrient distributions, along with ambient ocean temperature and the light field, control ocean biological productivity. Observations of nutrients are much sparser than physical observations of temperature and salinity, yet it is critical to validate biogeochemical models against these sparse observations if we are to successfully model biological variability and trends. Here we use data from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study and the World Ocean Database 2005 to demonstrate quantitatively that over the entire globe a significant fraction of the temporal variability of phosphate, silicate and nitrate within the oceans is correlated with water density. The temporal variability of these nutrients as a function of depth is almost always greater than as a function of potential density, with he largest reductions in variability found within the main pycnocline. The greater nutrient variability as a function of depth occurs when dynamical processes vertically displace nutrient and density fields together on shorter timescales than biological adjustments. These results show that dynamical processes can have a significant impact on the instantaneous nutrient distributions. These processes must therefore be considered when modeling biogeochemical systems, when comparing such models with observations, or when assimilating data into such models.

Differential susceptibilities of peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) to foliar insecticides on partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars

In a field experiment the effects of Sumicidin (super) 5EC (fenitrothion), Metasystox EC25 (oxydemeton-methyl) and Tamaron SL600 (methamidophos), applied at different dosages, were evaluated against peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and its parasitoid Aphidius matricariae Haliday on Cardinal and Desiree (respectively partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars to M. persicae). Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found about 30% more effective in reducing aphid populations than the other insecticides tested. The highest doses of each insecticide caused maximum aphid mortality; in general aphid mortality appeared dose dependent. Almost all the higher and lower doses of the tested insecticides were about 19% more effective on Cardinal than on Desiree. The most significant result was the synergistic interaction at the lower doses with plant resistance, so that the same level of control was recorded with second highest dose on Cardinal as with the highest dose on Desiree. Also the same control level was achieved at the lowest dosage rate on Cardinal compared with the next higher dose on the Desiree. Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found least toxic to the parasitoid, A. matricariae in terms of percent parasitism, emergence of parasitoids and number of mature eggs in the emerging female parasitoids; increase of about 22, 67 and 47% respectively were found in parasitoid performance with Tamaron SL600 which was found comparatively highly toxic. The highest doses of all insecticides were found clearly toxic to the parasitoid. In general, effects on the parasitoid were dose dependent. Maximum yield was obtained from the second highest dose of Sumicidin (super) 5EC.

How a sequential design would have affected the GAIN international study of Gavestinel in stroke

While planning the GAIN International Study of gavestinel in acute stroke, a sequential triangular test was proposed but not implemented. Before the trial commenced it was agreed to evaluate the sequential design retrospectively to evaluate the differences in the resulting analyses, trial durations and sample sizes in order to assess the potential of sequential procedures for future stroke trials. This paper presents four sequential reconstructions of the GAIN study made under various scenarios. For the data as observed, the sequential design would have reduced the trial sample size by 234 patients and shortened its duration by 3 or 4 months. Had the study not achieved a recruitment rate that far exceeded expectation, the advantages of the sequential design would have been much greater. Sequential designs appear to be an attractive option for trials in stroke. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Low-temperature determination of theophylline dimethyl sulfoxide solvate

The title solvate, C7H8N4O2 center dot C2H6OS, was obtained unintentionally from a cocrystal screen involving theophylline and isophthalic acid. One molecule each of theophylline and dimethyl sulfoxide is present in the asymmetric unit. The packing consists of molecular sheets lying parallel to the ( 040) series of lattice planes, in which each theophylline molecule is hydrogen bonded to one dimethyl sulfoxide molecule through an N-H center dot center dot center dot O [2.7658 (15) angstrom] hydrogen bond. This particular hydrogen-bond donor was found to be used in this type of interaction in a variety of other crystal structures of theophylline.

Use of thermography and fibre optics microscopy for the evaluation of railway structures in the Athens Metro in Greece (Invited Paper)

Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) is one of the main issues that concern, at least initially, the head of the railway; progressively they can be of very high importance as they can propagate inside the material with the risk of damaging the railway. In this work, two different non-destructive techniques, infrared thermography (IRT) and fibre optics microscopy (FOM), were used in the inspection of railways for the tracing of defects and deterioration signs. In the first instance, two different approaches (dynamic and pulsed thermography) were used, whilst in the case of FOM, microscopic characterisation of the railway heads and classification of the deterioration -- damage on the railways according to the UIC (International Union of Railways) code, took place. Results from both techniques are presented and discussed.

Actinomyces coleocanis sp. nov., from the vagina of a dog

A hitherto undescribed Actinomyces-like bacterium was isolated from the vagina of a dog. Biochemical testing and PAGE analysis of whole-cell proteins indicated that the isolate was phenotypically different from previously described Actinomyces species and related taxa. Sequencing of 165 rRNA showed that the unknown bacterium was distinct from all currently known Actinomyces species. Phylogenetically, the unidentified organism displayed a specific association with Actinomyces europaeus, but a sequence divergence of > 5% demonstrated that it represents a distinct species. Based on both phenotypic and 165 rRNA sequence considerations, it is proposed that the unknown strain from a dog be classified as a novel species, Actinomyces coleocanis sp. nov. The type strain is CCUG 41708T (= CIP 106873T).

Arcanobacterium hippocoleae sp. nov., from the vagina of a horse

A polyphasic taxonomic study was performed on a previously unidentified gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, diphtheroid-shaped organism isolated from a vaginal discharge of a horse. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated that the strain was a member of the genus Arcanobacterium, but sequence divergence values of >4% with described species of this genus (viz: Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, Arcanobacterium bernardiae, Arcanobacterium phocae, Arcanobacterium pluranimalium and Arcanobacterium pyogenes) demonstrated that the isolate represented a novel species. The unknown bacterium was readily distinguished from other Arcanobacterium species by biochemical tests. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as Arcanobacterium hippocoleae sp. nov. The type strain of A. hippocoleae is CCUG 44697T (= CIP 106850T).

Pitch range and vowel duration in the speech of children with Williams syndrome

This paper reports the pitch range and vowel duration data from a group of children with Williams syndrome (WS) in comparison with a group of typically developing children matched for chronological age (CA) and a group matched for receptive language abilities (LA). It is found that the speech of the WS group has a greater pitch range and that vowels tend to be longer in duration than in the speech of the typically developing children. These findings are in line with the impressionistic results reported by Reilly, Klima and Bellugi [17].